Stephen Hawking Never Answered His 'Most Interesting' Scientific QuestionStephen Hawking died today (March 14), leaving behind a massive legacy of work as an astrophysicist, science communicator, activist, and figure of pop culture admiration. Hawking's most famous paper, "Black Hole Explosions?," published 44 years ago in 1974, took a hatchet to the whole notion of black holes as physicists had previous understood them. "Classically, a black hole should be 'perfectly cold' in the sense that it absorbs everything but emits nothing.

Ex-politburo member faces second graft trial VietnamA former politburo member went on trial in Vietnam Monday in his second corruption case this year, as the communist state continues its public crackdown on powerful figures in politics and business accused of graft. Dinh La Thang, who was also the former head of state-run oil giant PetroVietnam (PVN), is already serving a 13-year jail term for a previous conviction for corruption. The new trial sees him accused of approving a $35 million investment of state funds in Ocean Bank in 2008 without the authorisation of PVN's board or the Prime Minister.

Vladimir Putin wins re-election for fourth termThe result of Russia’s presidential election was known before any ballots were cast, with the only variable how many citizens would show up to cast votes. Many in the opposition abstained from voting, instead observing polling places for irregularities.

Israeli killed by Palestinian in Jerusalem Old City stabbingA Palestinian stabbed an Israeli security guard to death in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday before being shot dead by a police officer, Israeli officials said. The stabbing came with concerns over the potential for an upsurge in unrest in the coming weeks as the United States prepares to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service identified the assailant as Abdul Rahmani Faddal, 28, and a father of two from Aqraba near Nablus in the north of the occupied West Bank.

India most vulnerable country to climate change - HSBC reportIndia is the most vulnerable country to climate change, followed by Pakistan, the Philippines and Bangladesh, a ranking by HSBC showed on Monday. The bank assessed 67 developed, emerging and frontier markets on vulnerability to the physical impacts of climate change, sensitivity to extreme weather events, exposure to energy transition risks and ability to respond to climate change.

Volkswagen reveals four-wheel-drive, ID R electric-powered prototypeVolkswagen is a manufacturer that's been making a lot of noise recently about its plans for new electric and hybrid vehicles, but one of the first that will actually be seen in action may surprise a few people. The car has been named the ID R Pikes Peak, and as well as putting in a spectacular time at the hill climb event it's also designed to showcase the potential and spectacular performance capabilities of Volkswagen's electric car technology.

Hotel fire kills at least three in Philippine capitalA fire at a hotel in the Philippine capital killed three people on Sunday and injured nearly two dozen, police and rescue officials said, with two people listed as missing. The fire broke out at the Manila Pavilion Hotel where about 20 people earlier listed as trapped had been evacuated safely, Johnny Yu, chief of the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, said. Two employees of a casino at the hotel were missing and rescue operations were ongoing, Manila Police District spokesman Erwin Margarejo told Reuters.